A fast start led the #8 Charger women's basketball team to an 88-66 victory over the Bruins of Bellevue Thursday evening inside the Newman Flanagan Center. Payton Slaughter led the Chargers with 17 points, six rebounds, and three steals and went four-for-five from beyond the arc.
 
The Chargers went on an 11-5 run to start the first, as Rachel Langel's basket in the paint fell through off a steal from Mallie McNair. The Bruins closed within four following a jumper from Ashtyn Arnold. The Cliff took a 24-13 lead at the end of the first behind Slaughter's nine points, all from downtown.
 
Early in the second, the Cliff began to pull away as the Chargers pushed the tempo off a Bruin miss, ending with a layup from a McNair off an assist from Kennedy Benne to take a 13-point lead. BCU led 31-18 after Slaughter buried a triple. Briar Cliff led 44-24 at the half after Grace Flanagan's jumper was good on an assist from Konnor Sudmann.
 
Midway through the third, Makenna Kleinhesselink buried a corner three to push the Charger lead to 30. A tough bucket from Sudmann as time winded down gave Briar Cliff a 69-37 lead heading into the final frame.
 
The Bruins were unable to make up ground in the fourth, and the Chargers earned their 11^th victory of the season 88-66.
 
Langel chipped in 12 points and went an efficient five-for-six from the field. McNair added 11 points on 50% shooting from the field. Sudmann led the Chargers in assists with nine on the night. Grace Flanagan and Kleinhesselink provided scoring of the bench, adding 11 and nine points respectively with both burying three triples.
 
The Chargers improve to 11-1 (6-1 GPAC) and will be off until January 3, when they host the #13 Dakota State Trojans. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.